It took rescue workers around five minutes to reach the buried skiers after those who made it safely to the bottom of the slope raised the alarm.

Les Deux Alpes resort deputy head Didier Bobillier said it was too early to comment on whether safety warnings were ignored.

“It is a difficult black run and is regularly made safe. Nothing led us to believe that this type of snow slide would take place, but the inquiry will determine responsibilities and what set the avalanche off whether it was an external element,” he said.

Apart from the two teenagers who died, all other students from the group of 19 had been accounted for and were safe, the ministry said.

Rescue teams worked into the evening searching for other skiers who might have been buried in the snow.